This invention relates generally to the field of telecommunications and, in particular, to a telephony interface device for providing status and diagnostic information to a telephone operatively coupled to the telephony interface device.
Since the invention of the telephone by Alexander Graham Bell over 100 years ago, various systems have been implemented to allow a homeowner, for example, to transmit and receive information. The communication service that most people have used on a daily basis typically includes copper wires that are routed from a Local Exchange Carrier (your local telephone company) to a small gray box mounted on the side of the home (commonly referred to as a Network Interface Device). This small gray box connects the copper wires of the xe2x80x9clocal loopxe2x80x9d to the telephone wiring inside the home and the RJ-11 (telephone jacks) connection points also within the home. The traditional Network Interface Device that has been used for many years typically has no digital components or microprocessor-based intelligence. It is simply an electronic circuit that detects current and voltage changes that are a result of the switching activity (i.e., open circuit, closed circuit) at either end of the copper wires. Voice is carried as an analog signal over the copper wires and is electrically coupled to a common telephone on one end, and Local Exchange switching equipment at the other.
There are many disadvantages to this conventional arrangement. For example, problems arise when attempting to diagnose various failures that may occur with these conventional Network Interface Devices. Typically, these conventional Network Interface Devices may include a plurality of LED""s that are intended to allow customers and/or field technicians to diagnose system and/or network element status. However, the LEDs are not very useful to customers and/or field technicians in diagnosing system or network element status. In particular, the use of LEDs requires the oftentimes non-intuitive interpretation of LED light combinations to determine the operational status of the system. Moreover, an extra terminal port interface (i.e., a dumb terminal) may be used to provide field technicians with a means to diagnose system or network element status. However, diagnostic terminal port interfaces typically required a high level of familiarity from a trained technician. Moreover, diagnostic terminal port interfaces and LEDs typically provide no information to the end-user when the Network Interface Device is mounted outside of the house. Finally, remote terminal diagnostics have been used in the past by a network operator, but only if network conductivity is available or is intact. As a result, remote terminal diagnostics may not be available when network conductivity problems arise.
Within the last decade or so, advances in communication technology have enabled the use of alternate media as a replacement for the copper wires in the xe2x80x9clocal loop.xe2x80x9d Today, one of these alternate access technologies utilizes the widely deployed Hybrid Fiber Coaxial (HFC) systems that have traditionally carried only Cable Television transmissions to residential areas. Many of these HFC systems have recently been enhanced to provide multimedia services (video, voice, and high-speed data) by incorporating advanced communication technologies in equipment that is connected to the HFC cable. HFC cable networks are typically organized such that there are aggregation points where the physical cable is fanned out into a number of residential areas. These aggregation points are known as xe2x80x9chead ends.xe2x80x9d Media content is formatted and combined by computer-based communication equipment at these xe2x80x9chead endsxe2x80x9d for delivery to customers along the HFC distribution network, which spans the residential areas that are served. Network routing and bridging equipment is also provided at these xe2x80x9chead ends,xe2x80x9d which provide bi-directional interconnection between the access network (which provides residential access for users) and the Service Provider Network (which provides access to the existing Public Switched Telephone Network (PSTN) and the public Internet). At each residence of a paying subscriber, a similar computer-based communication device (hereafter referred to as a Residential Gateway) must be connected to the HFC cable. The Residential Gateway decodes the media content and delivers the transmissions to residential devices in the home (television sets, etc.). In the past, since HFC networks generally carried only video media content, these Residential Gateways were better known as xe2x80x9cset-top boxesxe2x80x9d or xe2x80x9ccable boxes.xe2x80x9d Today, these HFC communication devices can handle more than video media content. As a result, the Residential Gateway device has been enhanced to provide interfaces to multiple networks in the home including, for example, cable TV wiring and telephone wiring.
Traditional telephony voice services have evolved to provide many enhanced features above and beyond the basic two-party phone call. These services have traditionally been implemented in the switching equipment of the service provider or in adjunct devices that reside at the Local Exchange Office. Users are able to enable and configure some of these features through configuration xe2x80x9cmenusxe2x80x9d that prompt the user through the playout of tones or voice messages delivered by the Local Exchange Equipment. User input is then accepted, which is typically in the form of Dual Tone Multi-Frequency (DTMF) digits generated by the user handset or spoken words received by the handset. However, as set forth above, there is at least one major drawback to these conventional services. In particular, the enablement and configuration of these features (and the service, in general) depends upon on the integrity of the connection between the Local Exchange Equipment and the Network Interface Unit (at the user""s home), which bridges the user""s home phone wiring. For example, in existing telephony systems, aural diagnostics and status information (in the form of voice prompts) are played and controlled from a Class 5 switch, and therefore depend upon the access network being intact (assuming the technician is at someone""s home).
Conventional Residential Gateway devices such as, for example, the Aplio/Phone device allows users to make telephone calls via the internet. The device acts as a gateway between the user""s phone network in the home and an access network (ISP dialup, or Ethernet connection to a broadband interface device i.e., Cable Modem, DSL modem, etc.) that provides a connection to the public internet. The Aplio/Phone is a simplistic device that does not require the use of a computer for setting up configuration parameters or for making or receiving phone calls. It provides a configuration function that uses the telephone handset and it""s DTMF keypad as the configuration user interface. Pre-recorded voice messages are played to prompt the user for DTMF input for various functions, and to provide confirmation of user entry. For example, the DTMF keypad may be used as a DTMF input to, for example, configure the mode of the device, select language, select ISP preferences, enable and disable features, initiate software upgrades, enter numbers, logins, passwords, etc. However, these voice prompts are only used to configure the unit for initial use and do not provide any status or diagnostic information once configuration is complete.
Voice prompts have been used in certain navigation systems to inform the operator of the status of various systems and relay various instructions via pre-recorded voice messages. For example, in certain automobile applications, voice prompts such as xe2x80x9cyour door is ajarxe2x80x9d or xe2x80x9ccheck enginexe2x80x9d have been used to relay information to the driver. Similarly, in certain aircraft applications, voice prompts such as xe2x80x9cPull up! Pull up!xe2x80x9d have been used in ground proximity warning applications to warn pilots when encountering dangerously low altitudes. However, these systems are closed systems (i.e., the voice prompts are activated only by certain predetermined events). For example, they are not interactive systems that can accept user input through a POTS phone for retrieving and configuring diagnostic information and settings.
Accordingly, it would be desirable to have a simple and cost effective telephony interface device that overcomes the disadvantages described above, and provides diagnostic information directly to a telephone that is operatively coupled to the telephony interface device.
One aspect of the invention provides a system for providing diagnostic information to at least one telephone including a telephony interface device operatively coupled to at least one telephone through a telephone line. The telephony interface device is operatively coupled to a network, wherein the telephony interface device transmits diagnostic information to the at least one telephone. The diagnostic information may preferably include diagnostic information concerning the network, the telephony interface device, and the telephone line. The diagnostic information may preferably be transmitted to the at least one telephone through voice prompts. The diagnostic information may preferably be requested through the at least one telephone by a user of the at least one telephone. The at least one telephone may preferably be a Dual Tone Multi-Frequency keypad, and the diagnostic information may preferably be requested through the Dual Tone Multi-Frequency keypad. The transmission of diagnostic information may preferably be an interactive exchange between the telephony interface device and a user of the at least one telephone. The interactive exchange may preferably be carried out at least in part through voice prompts or through the Dual Tone Multi-Frequency keypad.
The network may preferably be a service provider network. An access network may also be provided, the access network operatively coupled between the service provider network and the telephony interface device. A network router may also be provided. The network router may preferably be operatively coupled between the access network and the service provider network. The telephony interface device may preferably be include an access network interface operatively coupled to the network to allow the telephony interface device to be in communication with the network. The telephony interface device may also include a host processor for controlling and routing data between the access network interface and the at least one telephone. The telephony interface device may also include a memory device, the host processor and the memory device each operatively coupled to the access network interface. The telephony interface may also include a signal processor for transmitting diagnostic information to the at least one telephone. The signal processor may preferably be operatively coupled to the access network interface, the host processor, and the memory device. The signal processor may preferably be a digital signal processor. The telephony interface device may also preferably include a telephone interface operatively coupled to the signal processor and to the at least one telephone to allow the telephony interface device to be in communication with the at least one telephone.
Another aspect of the invention provides a telephony interface device for providing diagnostic information to at least one telephone operatively coupled to the telephony interface device. The telephony interface device includes an access network interface to allow the telephony interface device to be in communication with a network. The access network interface is operatively coupled to a host processor for controlling and routing data between the access network interface and the at least one telephone. The access network interface is also coupled to a memory device. A signal processor is operatively coupled to the access network interface, the host processor and the memory device. The signal processor is also operatively coupled to a telephone interface wherein the signal processor is configured to transmit the diagnostic information from the telephony interface device to the at least one telephone. The diagnostic information may preferably include diagnostic information concerning the network and the telephony interface device.
Another aspect of the invention provides a method of providing diagnostic information to at least one telephone. A telephony interface device operatively coupled to the at least one telephone through a telephone line is provided. The telephony interface device is operatively coupled to a network. Diagnostic information is transmitted from the telephony interface device to the at least one telephone. The diagnostic information may preferably include diagnostic information concerning the network and the telephony interface device. The diagnostic information may preferably be transmitted to the at least one telephone through voice prompts. The diagnostic information may preferably be requested through the at least one telephone by a user of the at least one telephone. The at least one telephone may preferably include a Dual Tone Multi-Frequency keypad, and the diagnostic information may preferably be requested through the Dual Tone Multi-Frequency keypad. The transmission of diagnostic information may preferably include an interactive exchange between the telephony interface device and a user of the at least one telephone. The interactive exchange may preferably be carried out at least in part through voice prompts or through the Dual Tone Multi-Frequency keypad.
The network may preferably be comprised of a service provider network. An access network may preferably be provided. The access network may preferably be operatively coupled between the service provider network and the telephony interface device. A network router may also be provided. The network router may preferably be operatively coupled between the access network and the service provider network. The telephony interface device may preferably include an access network interface operatively coupled to the network to allow the telephony interface device to be in communication with the network. The telephony interface device may preferably include a host processor for controlling and routing data between the access network interface and the at least one telephone. The telephony interface device may preferably include a memory device. The host processor and the memory device each may preferably be operatively coupled to the access network interface. The telephony interface may also include a signal processor for transmitting diagnostic information to the at least one telephone. The signal processor may preferably be operatively coupled to the access network interface, the host processor, and the memory device. The telephony interface device may preferably include a telephone interface operatively coupled to the signal processor and to the at least one telephone to allow the telephony interface to be in communication with the at least one telephone.
The invention provides the foregoing and other features, and the advantages of the invention will become further apparent from the following detailed description of the presently preferred embodiments, read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. The detailed description and drawings are merely illustrative of the invention and do not limit the scope of the invention, which is defined by the appended claims and equivalents thereof.